A three-family brownstone that feels easy to live in and smart to own.
Set up as an owner's triplex with two full-floor rentals on top, the layout gives you flexibility from day one. The triplex can be delivered vacant, which makes it work for an end user, or even friends buying together if one wants a floor-through.
The parlor level is where you will spend most of your time. It's bright, open, and updated - at 50 feet deep, there is plenty of space to live and dine. Hardwood floors add contrast, and the renovated kitchen and bath are clean and functional with a breakfast bar. With north and south exposures, the light moves through the space all day.
On the garden level, you have two large bedrooms, a spa-like full bath, and a windowed powder room. There is direct access to the backyard, which has been recently updated with pavers.
The lower level adds real flexibility and feels like an artist loft with wood beamed ceilings. A custom cut-out brings in light and connects the space, so it doesn't feel like a typical basement. It works as a den, office, gym, or all three depending on how you want to use it.
The two rental units above are both floor-through two-bedrooms with windowed baths, decorative fireplaces, and updated kitchens. At 50 feet deep, they feel private and well laid out. Each unit has its own washer and dryer, split AC, and separate temperature control, which makes them easier to rent and manage. Strong rent roll in place.
The block sits just off Malcolm X Boulevard, close to Red Rooster, Sylvia's Restaurant, and Vinateria, along with a mix of new retail that continues to change the feel of the area. The planned Second Avenue Subway Q line extension will only add to the accessibility over time.
This is the kind of property that gives you options. Live in it comfortably, offset your costs, and still have something that makes sense long term.
Quick Profile
The neighborhood called West Harlem by the locals is known as Manhattanville to neighborhood newcomers. The area is culturally diverse and might be considered a microcosm of the city as a whole.
Columbia University has recently expanded into the area, which is attracting student residents from all over the world. Together with students from the City College of New York and young professionals fleeing higher prices in other neighborhoods, this influx of younger residents has brought with it more restaurants and bars on W 125th Street to serve this clientele. There are also new ventures, like a rock-climbing gym, to cater to the interests of these students and young professionals. At the same time, there are many small, family-owned shops and restaurants that have been anchors of the neighborhood for multiple generations.
The area has been through a housing upgrade, as older properties have been renovated and abandoned properties have been razed to make room for new development. There are still reasonably priced apartments available. Young professionals are finding that there is a certain cachet to living in West Harlem. It provides a convenient commute to the city and all of its amenities, while providing a sense of escape at the end of a long work day.
While rentals are popular with the student population, the young professionals are delighted to find pre-war brownstones, pre-war co-ops (including some income-capped HDFCs for lower- and middle-income buyers), and post-war condos that they can afford, although prices are rising. Some new low-rise developments, sporting virtual doormen and desired amenities, are cropping up.